Machado Vows Electoral Democracy as Maduro Remains in Power Amid Rigged Election Allegations

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado stated in an interview airing Sunday that she will become Venezuela’s president but emphasized the need for electoral democracy following the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro.

“I will be president when the time comes,” she told “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan.

“But it doesn’t matter. That should be decided in elections by the Venezuelan people,” she added.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who gave her medal to President Donald Trump last month, was banned from running against Maduro in 2024 and instead supported former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, recognized as the legitimate election winner.

“Maduro was afraid [of] running against me, and he thought Edmundo was not a threat, because nobody knew who he was,” Machado said.

“And in less than three months, we managed to [get] the whole country supporting him, because this is [a] matter of freedom,” she added.

Maduro remains in power as allegations spread that election results were rigged to keep him in office.

It is unclear when Venezuela’s next presidential election will occur, as interim President Delcy Rodriguez and remnants of the Maduro regime currently govern the country.

Maduro and his wife are imprisoned in New York City, with Trump stating the current Venezuelan leadership is “working with us so well.”

Trump has dismissed Machado taking power, saying hours after Maduro’s arrest that “she’s a very nice woman but she doesn’t have the respect.” However, after Machado gave her Nobel medal to Trump while acknowledging his “historic” action of removing Maduro, Trump suggested “maybe we can get her involved in some way.”